Improvisation - WOW!!
What a great back to back set of videos on improvisation. Joe's lesson and then the two with Gary Smith to really hit it home!! If you intentionally 'released 'these to reinforce each other, thank you, it worked!!
I can see the development in a full song but what about at a jam when you get 12 or 24 bars. Do you still take a 'simple' theme and slowly add to it for the first 12 and then add a little more for the second 12 (if you get it)? Or do you take more 'freedom' for the 12 bars?
This stuff is coming at a perfect time for me - because it is really hitting home and making sense.
Yes, this year I/we're focusing on improvising. No, when doing one to two choruses we tend to not worry about developing a theme as much. Longer than two chorusses it's important to do so.